Lola Scott - Only Miss U
‘Only Miss U’ buy Lola Scott is a heartbreak song wrapped in warm 90s nostalgia and peppered with subtle Bon Iver-inspired production moments. The song does precisely enough and no more, with simple but memorable melodies and tasteful lyrical repetition of the song’s title; it’s gently sarcastic and incredibly effective for getting into your feels. Scott’s vocal fry is so tasty in the pre-chorus sections, and the soft dreamy production will transport you to your teenage bedroom looking over Polaroids, only to snap you back to reality when the layered texture and reverb cut to a stripped-back, compressed guitar moment. The abrupt cut of the chords to finish the song is the perfect ending.
For fans of: Hallie, Everclear, Nelly Furtado
Emma Volard - Two Sides
This song is about as chilled out and groovy as it gets. Emma Volard sings with so much presence and sense of groundedness, and I love the late-feel delivery of the vocals. The synth lines feel like they’re straight out of an 80s scifi soundtrack - it’s giving ‘The Dark Crystal’. The bass and drums are locked in, and the groove feels like it could be the lovechild of Hiatus Kaiyote’s ‘Red Room’ and Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’.
For fans of: Hiatus Kaiyote, Sade, Massive Attack
Lucy Francesca Dron - Adjacent To You
‘Adjacent To You’ is the latest offering from one of Meanjin’s most exciting artists Lucy Francesca Dron. It delivers on everything we’ve come to expect from her - vocals that effortlessly dance the spectrum of her impressive range, exciting guitar ideas, and an unusual rhythmic landscape for the alt/indie rock space she occupies. The drop into half time for the chorus feels great paired with the synth-skanks, and her lush harmony pads are the perfect dreamy backdrop for the percussive spine of the song.
For fans of: The Lazy Eyes, Tame Impala, Beabadoobee
Keli Holiday - Lowdown
Track 4 off Keli Holiday’s new EP JESTERMAN, ‘Lowdown’ will get you feeling ready for the dance floor and in touch with your whacky side. With an overall 70s flavour and some house-style production, the first verse features a funky driving bass line paired with ska-like synths. This contrasts nicely with the almost-beachy indie rock instrumentation for the chorus paired with a punchy vocoder vocal. This song is full of personality and grooves hard.
For fans of: Marc Rebillet, FIDLAR
Rowena Wise - 26 hours
’26 Hours’ is track 3 off Rowena Wise’s new album Senseless Acts Of Beauty. The first track she wrote for the body of work, it is both vulnerable and powerful. I love how the chord progressions invoke a sense of questioning and introspection, complimented by the intimately recorded vocal and roomy surrounding production. The song has a sense of exploring light and dark, reflected in juxtaposition of the same melody across two octaves back-to-back. ’26 Hours’ has a beautiful build throughout its 4 minutes, peaking with slide guitar and a string section and not afraid to peel back to just vocals and guitar for a few dulcet moments.
For fans of: Julia Jacklin, Mazzy Star, CLEWS
Hayden Calnin - Lake Tota
‘Lake Tota’ feels like cold air on the tip on your nose, the campfire starting to sink into embers, clear night skies sprinkled with stars. If you’re a fan of Bon Iver’s introspective lyricism and the production on 22, A Million, you’ll fall in love with this tune too. Something in the nature-inspired themes and acoustic guitar moments also calls to mind Tay Oskee’s discography, and for a song full of questioning, it is imbued with a sense of optimism and camaraderie.
For Fans of: Bon Iver, Jack Garratt, Tay Oskee
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